Eraser cleaner



June 2, 1959 T E. KELLICAN ET AL ERASE'R CLEANER Filed June 50, 1958 INVENTORS. LC.

76 61/14,! (ELL/CAN (0 let/M657 MMdZm Unite ERASER CLEANER Thelma E. Kellican, Seattle, and Leo Rumsey, Redmond, Wash.

Application June 30, 1958, Serial No. 745,459 11 Claims. (Cl. 51-185) This invention relates to a new and useful device by which lead pencil erasers and the like may be cleaned quickly and conveniently so as to remove surface layers which carry particles of graphite, oil, or other substances which tend to smudge the work when the eraser is used. Surface layers of the eraser material itself, especially if old, can smudge. The invention is herein illustratively described by reference to the presently preferred forms eraser. Many times an otherwise clean piece of work will be completely spoiled by an unclean eraser, resulting in loss of valuble time. As an eraser becomes old and the rubber tends to lose some of its life Or to harden, this problem becomes aggravated, especially with certain kinds of paper or eraser materials, and with certain kinds of pencil markings or other markings to be erased.

The present invention is directed to the provision of an inexpensive and practicable eraser cleaner usable by persons working at a typewriter, drafting board, desk or other facility. Another object is a device of this character which may be supplied to and removed from a supporting surface, preferably a vertical surface, without marring the surface and, when applied, presents no obstacle or obstruction projecting therefrom.

A further object is to provide an eraser cleaner which may be applied semi-permanently to a horizontal, sloping or vertical surface of a desk, wall, drafting board, typewriter or other piece of equipment or structure so as to occupy no otherwise used space and to remain in an unobtrusive position yet conveniently available when required.

A further object is a device of this character which may be made inexpensively and by rapid production techniques and which lends itself well to use as an advertising medium on which printed matter may be applied without in any way interfering with its utility or adding materially to its cost. 7

As herein described, features of the invention reside in the novel eraser cleaner which comprises an abrasive, adhesively applied transfer strip including a piece of sandpaper or other abrasion material framed and overlapped by a relatively thin but tough plastic frame sheet and retained in positionon such sheet by a pressure sensitive, transfer adhesive strip or bonding sheet bonded on one side to the back side of the frame sheet and sandpaper and having its opposite side adhesively coated and normally covered by a removable overlay, such as a piece of waxed paper. The overlay is removed when the device is to be mounted, such mounting being effected by pressing the same against any suitable supporting surface such as a wall, the side of a desk or typewriter, for instance. Preferably the double surface, adhesive transfer sheet is tates Patent readily and devoid of adhesive substance on the exposed back face near one edge or along an intermediate zone, overlapped by an edge or edges of the overlay so that the overlay may be conveniently grasped and removed when necessary.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully evident from the following description thereof by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the device installed; Figure 2 is a perspective from the rear side thereof, with the overlay sheet partly removed and with a portion of the adhesive bonding sheet broken away to illustrate details of the construction.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view vice prior to removal of the overlay.

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modified type of overlay.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, it will be observed that the eraser cleaner comprises, in its illustrated form, a rectangular piece of sandpaper 10, preferably of fine grit or grade, and a rectangular frame sheet 12, preferably of tough and durable plastic material, such as polystyrene or other semi-rigid yet somewhat flexible plastic, which marginally overlaps and surrounds or frames the sheet of sandpaper 10. This plastic is preferably of the order of 0.010 inch thick, although this thickness may vary somewhat, it being desired, however, to have it as thin as possible consistent with resistance to tearing when an eraser is rubbed vigorously over the exposed surface area of the sandpaper sheet 10. The sandpaper sheet is held in place in its position relative to the framing sheet 12 by applying a bonding sheet 14 coated on both sides with a pressure sensitive transfer type adhesive. This doubly adhesively surfaced sheet 14, therefore, not only holds the abrasive and framing sheets together but presents an exposed adhesive surface which serves as a bonding medium for applying the eraser cleaner to a supporting surface S as shown.

For purposes of handling and storage of such devices without encountering difficulty with the tacky surface of the bonding sheet 14, an overlay sheet 16 is normally adhered to the back side of the device to complete its prepared form. Such overlay sheet 16 preferably comprising a Waxed or otherwise treated or calendered paper, sheet of plastic, or other substance capable of ready removal from the tacky surface of the sheet 14- when necessary, without loosening the bonding sheet itself. In order to facilitate removal of the overlay, it is preferred in this embodiment that the bonding sheet 14 have a somewhat lesser Width than the framing sheet 12 so as to leave adhesively uncoated marginal zones 12a along which the overlay is not held to the bonded assembly. In this way it is possible to grasp the overlay sheet 16 readily by an edge and lift it conveniently from the sheet14.

Of course it is important that the coefiicient of ad hesion between the overlay 16 and the exposed surface of sheet 14 be materially less than the coefiicient of adhesion between the opposite surface of sheet 14, the underlying surface of the framing sheet 12 and the sandpaper sheet 10; otherwise, attempts to lift the overlay from the sheet 14 would result in removal of the sheet 14 itself from the parts which it should maintain bonded together.

Any suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive may be used for the bonding sheet 14, a rubber base pressure sensitive transfer type of adhesive of conventional form being preferred. Such adhesives are well known and may be provided in relatively permanent or stable forms which will hold a bond over a long time period and showing the dewill adhere to a finished surface without marring the surface material nor leaving a gummy residue thereon.

Once such an eraser cleaner is bonded to a surface S as shown in the Figures 1 and 3, an eraser E to be cleaned may be pressed against the exposed abrasive surface 16 and rubbed back and forth a few times, as a result of which the surface layers of the eraser are removed and with them any particles of graphite, deteriorated rubber or other smudgy substance. Preferably the surface S to which the device is applied is a vertical surface so that any particles of rubber and other matter removed from the eraser in this manner simply drop to the floor or other underlying surface. By virtue of the fact that the plastic framing sheet 11 completely surrounds and overlaps the edges of the sandpaper sheet 10, the rubbing of the eraser back and forth does not tend to tear the edge portions of the sandpaper sheet. The plastic, comprising the framing sheet 12, being relatively tough and durable is not affected by the rubbing action of the eraser should the operator carry the eraser past the edges of the sandpaper and on to the framing sheet. Moreover, the framing sheet protects any finished surface of the desk or other implement upon which the transfer device is mounted against it being marred or otherwise damaged due to stroking the eraser beyond the limits of the sandpaper during the cleaning operation.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the overlay sheet is formed in two parts, designated 16a and 16b, respectively. These are preferably full length of the framing sheet 12 and approximately half the width thereof. In this case, a central zone 14a of the bonding sheet 14' is uncoated with adhesive on the exposed back side thereof so that mating edges of the overlay sheets 16a and 16b are unbonded to the assembly and may be lifted readily by these edges from position bonded to 14' when it is desired to apply the device to a supporting surface. Such an arrangement permits somewhat quicker and easier removal of the overlay than in the overlay shown in Figure 2, for example. Moreover by pulling simultaneously and oppositely on the pieces 16a and 16b there is less tendency to lift the bonding sheet from the underlying abrasion and framing sheets.

In a typical case, the framing sheet 12 may be approximately 3 /z" long by 2 wide and the aperture therein to which the sandpaper sheet is exposed, may be approximately 2" long by wide. The sandpaper sheet itself is preferably only slightly larger than the size of the aperture in the sheet 12. In the example,

the sandpaper sheet may be 2%" long by 1 wide, leaving a /s marginal overlap with respect to the inner edges of the framing sheet 12.

It will of course be recognized that other specific materials may be used than those described. Instead of a plastic overlay sheet, a tough, durable paper or metal overlay sheet may be used in certain instances, although the plastic is considered more satisfactory for the purpose. Moreover, the framing sheet is readily impressed with printed matter, such as advertising material. The sandpaper sheet may be replaced by emery cloth or other equivalent abrasion material prepared in sheet-like form. The doubly surfaced bonding sheet 14 or its equivalent 14 may be replaced by a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to the back sides of the previously interbonded sandpaper sheet It) and framing sheet 12, or a singly surfaced bonding sheet may be applied to the back side of the sandpaper sheet 1th and the framing sheet 12 to hold the latter in a certain positional relationship while the remaining area of back face of the assembled sheets may then be coated with pressure sensitive adhesive in order to permit pressure bonding of the unit to a supporting surface. The geometric form of the element may also vary.

These and other variations will be evident to those 4 skilled in the art from the foregoing description of the invention in its preferred form.

We claim as our invention:

1. An eraser cleaning device comprising an abrasive sheet having a rough abrasive surface on one side, a non-abrasive framing sheet of larger area than said abrasive sheet and having an aperture therein smaller than said abrasive sheet and located intermediate opposite edges of the framing sheet, said framing sheet being superimposed on said abrasive sheet with said abrasive surface thereof exposed through said aperture and with the aperture edges overlapped by said abrasive sheet on the back side of said framing sheet, a bonding sheet laid over and bonded adhesively to the back side of said abrasive sheet and to adjoining areas of the back side of said framing sheet, thereby to hold the two sheets in predetermined positional superimposed relationship, said bonding sheet having its opposite surface coated with a pressure-sensitive transfer adhesive adapted to bond the device thereby to an external supporting surface, and a removable overlay sheet adhesively bonded to said opposite side of the bonding sheet to cover the adhesive coating thereon, said overlay sheet having a surface in contact with said adhesive adapted to separate therefrom with less force than that required to separate the bonding sheet from the framing sheet.

2. The eraser cleaning device defined in claim I, wherein the framing sheet comprises thin, durable plastic sheet material, and the abrasive sheet comprises a piece of sandpaper-like material.

3. The eraser cleaner device defined in claim 2, wherein the adhesive coating of the bonding sheet occupies substantially the full area of such sheet and the exposed back side of the abrasive sheet.

4. The eraser cleaner device defined in claim 3, wherein the adhesive is omitted from a zone on the back side of the framing sheet, and the overlay sheet overlaps said zone whereby the overlay sheet may be grasped and readily separated from the back side of the framing sheet in order to pull the same from the adhesively coated surface of the bonding sheet.

5. The eraser cleaner device defined in claim 4, wherein the zone extends along one outside edge of the framing sheet.

6. The eraser cleaner device defined in claim 4, wherein the zone extends along and includes an intermediate line on the framing sheet, and wherein the overlay sheet is formed in two parts, each of which overlaps said zone.

7. An eraser cleaner device comprising a thin, plastic sheet having a substantially smooth exposed framing surface on one side, means presenting a rough abrasive surface intermediate opposite edges of said framing sheet on the same side thereof, means adhered to the back side of said framing sheet presenting a pressure-sensitive transfer adhesive surface exposed on the back side thereof adapting the same to bond the device to an external supporting surface, and a removable overlay sheet bonded to said adhesive and covering the same, said overlay sheet being readily removable from said adhesive surface in order to expose the same for bonding the device to such a supporting surface.

8. An eraser cleaning device comprising an abrasive sheet having a rough abrasive surface on one side, a nonabrasive framing sheet of larger area than said abrasive sheet having an aperture therein located intermediate opposite edges of the framing sheet, said abrasive surface being exposed through said aperture, means holding said abrasive sheet in such position relative to the framing sheet, means on the back side of the framing sheet and abrasive sheet presenting an adhesive surface thereon adapting said cleaner device to adhere to an external supporting surface, and an overlay sheet bonded to and covering said adhesive and being relatively readily removable therefrom to expose the same for use.

9. The eraser cleaner device defined in claim 8, wherein asssyrss the adhesive coating presented on the back side of the framing sheet is omitted from an area thereon, and the overlay sheet has an edge portion which overlaps said area to permit readily grasping the same for removal of such overlay sheet.

10. An eraser cleaner device comprising an abrasive sheet having a rough abrasive surface on one side, a nonabrasive framing sheet of larger area than said abrasive sheet and having an aperture therein smaller than said abrasive sheet and located intermediate opposite edges of the framing sheet, said framing sheet being superimposed on said abrasive sheet with said abrasive surface thereof exposed through said aperture, a bonding sheet laid over and bonded adhesively to the back side of said abrasive sheet and to adjoining areas of the back side of said framing sheet, thereby to hold the two sheets in predetermined positional relationship, said bonding sheet having its opposite surface coated with a pressure-sensitive transfer adhesive adapted to bond the device thereby to an external supporting surface, and a removable overlay sheet adhesively bonded to said opposite side of the bonding sheet to cover the adhesive coating thereon, said overlay sheet having a surface in contact with said adhesive adapted to separate therefrom with less force than that required to separate the bonding sheet from the framing sheet.

11. An eraser cleaner device comprising an abrasive sheet having a rough abrasive surface on one side, a nonabrasive framing sheet of larger area than said abrasive sheet and having an aperture therein smaller than said abrasive sheet and located intermediate opposite edges of the framing sheet, said framing sheet being superimposed on said abrasive sheet with said abrasive surface thereof exposed through said aperture and with the aperture edges overlapped by said abrasive sheet on the back side of said framing sheet, a bonding sheet laid over and bonded adhesively to the back side of said abrasive sheet and t0 adjoining areas of the back side of said framing sheet, thereby to hold the two sheets in predetermined positional superimposed relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

